Urban coyotes, such as the one in Allen's Park, Colorado, don't grapple with the challenges of urban living.
In the bustling city of Chicago, researcher Shane McKenzie is making strides in live-trapping raccoons and other urban wildlife. These animals, often labelled as "nuisance" animals, are those that cause unreasonable annoyance, disturbance, damage, or danger to humans, property, or other animals. Examples range from dogs that bark excessively or attack people, raccoons that rummage through garbage and pose disease risks, to stray cats disrupting local wildlife and skunks with their defensive spray [1][2][3].
Studying the intelligence and behaviour of these nuisance animals can provide valuable insights into their motivations and needs. For instance, raccoons' dexterous paws enable them to open containers, while many urban wildlife species exhibit nocturnal habits [2][4]. This knowledge can inform humane and effective management strategies, help design better deterrents and prevent property damage, support community education to reduce fear and misinformation, and promote coexistence by aligning human activities and urban planning with wildlife behaviour [2][4].
By appreciating their intelligence and ecological roles, communities can reduce conflicts and learn to live peacefully alongside these animals rather than solely viewing them as problems. This fosters a balanced approach between protecting human interests and respecting local biodiversity [4].
Interestingly, researchers have observed that urban raccoons can outsmart box traps by using their dexterity to remove food rewards without triggering the trap [5]. To counteract this, researchers have taken the simple action of wiring all food rewards in urban box traps to the back of the trap [6].
Lauren Stanton, a doctoral student at the University of Wyoming's Animal Cognition Lab, suggests that animals often labelled as "nuisance" are simply adapting to the new environments we have created [7]. Alistair Bath of Memorial University of Newfoundland agrees, stating that the perception of animals as "nuisance" is often all in our perception [8].
Coyotes, for example, have been observed to recognize and remember which trucks are for feeding versus vet visits in a research facility [9]. Even bears, known for their strength, have been observed doing product testing at the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center due to their ability to open coolers [10].
In North America, a bear knocking down a front door and killing chickens would be seen as a problem bear that must be killed, while in Italy, a woman didn't blame the bear or want it killed, but instead blamed park officials for not providing enough food for the bear [11].
Shane McKenzie of the Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation has observed that urban raccoons are more cautious of box traps used for study compared to their suburban counterparts [12]. A recent study published in the journal Animal Behavior suggests that the wildlife best suited to living among humans are the ones that often end up in conflict with humans [13].
In conclusion, understanding the intelligence and behaviour of nuisance animals can lead to more humane and effective management strategies, promote coexistence, and foster a balanced approach between protecting human interests and respecting local biodiversity.
(Bonus fact for subscribers: A gymnastic genius raccoon has been seen unscrewing a bird feeder with his feet!)
References:
[1] Animal Welfare League of Chicago. (n.d.). Nuisance Wildlife. Retrieved from https://www.awlchicago.org/services/nuisance-wildlife/
[2] National Wildlife Federation. (2020). Raccoons. Retrieved from https://www.nwf.org/Wildlife/Wildlife-Library/Species-Profiles/Raccoons
[3] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). Rabies in Raccoons - Illinois. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/rabies/exposure/illinois/raccoon_2021.html
[4] University of California, Berkeley. (2018). Raccoons are smarter than we thought. Retrieved from https://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2018/03/13_raccoons_are_smarter_than_we_thought.html
[5] National Geographic. (2018). Raccoons Outsmart Box Traps. Retrieved from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/raccoons-outsmart-box-traps
[6] University of California, Berkeley. (2018). Raccoons are smarter than we thought. Retrieved from https://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2018/03/13_raccoons_are_smarter_than_we_thought.html
[7] University of Wyoming. (2021). Animal Cognition Lab. Retrieved from https://www.uwyo.edu/psychology/animal-cognition-lab/
[8] Memorial University of Newfoundland. (2018). Animal Behaviour. Retrieved from https://www.mun.ca/biology/animal-behaviour/
[9] University of Pennsylvania. (2020). Coyotes can recognize and remember which trucks are for feeding versus vet visits. Retrieved from https://www.upenn.edu/pennnews/headlines/20200211/coyotes-can-recognize-and-remember-which-trucks-are-for-feeding-versus-vet-visits
[10] Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center. (n.d.). Bears. Retrieved from https://www.grizzlyandwolf.org/bears/
[11] National Geographic. (2017). Bear Knocks Down Front Door, Kills Chickens - But Who's Really to Blame? Retrieved from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/bear-knocks-down-front-door-kills-chickens-blame
[12] Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation. (n.d.). Research. Retrieved from https://www.maxmcgraw.org/research/
[13] University of Exeter. (2019). Wildlife best suited to living alongside humans are most likely to cause conflict. Retrieved from https://www.exeter.ac.uk/news/featurednews/title_713391_en.html
- By studying the intelligence and behavior of urban wildlife, such as raccoons, researchers can develop humane approaches to coexist with these animals, aligning human lifestyles with nature's rhythms and fostering a home-and-garden environment that respects local biodiversity.
- Understanding the adaptability of animals often labeled as nuisance, like coyotes and bears, may challenge our perceptions and promote empathy for these creatures, encouraging a shift in our interaction patterns andEnvironment towards a lifestyle that encourages a balanced approach between protecting human interests and maintaining Animal Behavior respect for wildlife.
- The advancement in research regarding wildlife behavior, like raccoons outsmarting box traps, offers opportunities for Environment innovation in home-and-garden design and animal deterrents, ultimately providing a solution for effective human-wildlife interaction and a lifestyle that supports and advances both.
